Nevins, Andrew2009-12-032009Nevins, Andrew. 2009. On formal universals in phonology. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 32(5): 461-462.0140-525Xhttp://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:3426357Understanding the universal aspects of human language structure requires comparison at multiple levels of analysis. While Evans & Levinson (E&L) focus mostly on substantive variation in language, equally revealing insights can come from studying formal universals. I first discuss how Artificial Grammar Experiments can test universal preferences for certain types of abstract phonological generalizations over others. I then discuss moraic onsets in the language Arrernte, and how its apparent substantive variation ultimately rests on a formal universal regarding syllable-weight sensitivity.en-USCommentary or Review2010-11-0110.1017/S0140525X09990537